Unique Corporate Retreat Ideas And Activities

Wake Up Your Team With These Awesome Retreat Ideas!

Are you noticing frequent yawning, tired eyes, and a lull in productivity around the office? It might be high time to get away for a retreat for your company and give everyone a break to get relaxed, inspired and rejuvenated.

A company retreat is not just about fun, although FUN should definitely be involved; it creates a shared event for your whole team, and it also helps to build trust and improved communication. There are many “typical” team building ideas out there: the classic trust fall (which, let’s be honest, no one likes,) rope courses, guest motivational speakers, and laser tag, to name a few. We have some different retreat style and activity ideas to help you and get inspired:

1. Digital Detox

With most of the population being attached to their phones, tablets and computers, the world is seeing a rise in “Technostress” which is a psychosocial problem often found in the workplace. Technology has changed the way we do business. Many of us have been able to take advantage of a more flexible work schedule thanks to tech, but we also tend to work longer hours, or have our work and home lives co-mingled to a disruptive degree. A digital detox retreat can help lessen the impact of these stresses upon your employees.

Don’t worry – we’re not suggesting banning phones and sing kumbaya. Carving out a couple of hours of tech free time each day of your retreat to connect with nature, enjoy some outdoor physical activity, or simply having conversations or meals without the distraction of looking at devices every 5 minutes can go a long way in reducing stress. Pick a retreat location with and beautiful outdoor space, comfortable gathering places indoors, and a calming atmosphere can help your group from falling back into the old habit of looking at your phone every few minutes.

2. Bring-Your-Family Retreat

Working parents know how stressful trying to balance your home life and your work life. There are days when you might feel guilty for not being there for your family, but you also might feel guilty for skipping out of work early on occasion to tend to family priorities. A possible win-win could be to organize a retreat that brings your work family and your real families together.

This may not be ideal for every work place, (for example, only 2 out of 10 employees have children) so take a quick office poll and to find out if there is any interest. If the kids all get along at company picnics, then it’s a good bet they’ll enjoy a mini retreat away together as well. Make sure to plan a few child friendly activities so the kids know that they’re part of the team for the weekend…see scavenger hunt below!

3. Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is an interactive and engaging activity that promotes teamwork yet encourages healthy competition. It’s great for any one of any age and fitness level. It’s a perfect team building activity to organize at Sportsman’s Lodge because our outdoor grounds are known for their natural beauty and there are so many possibilities of items to add to the hunt list.

4. Make A Music Video

This is an activity that will involve some technology, (a phone will do for recording, you don’t need to get super high tech) but it will bring your group together and result in loads of fun! Pick a song that’s upbeat, plan what you want each member to do and start recording. The goal here is to plan and execute a 3-5 minute simple production, bring your team together, and let loose in a way that may be out of your comfort zone.

If you have a very large team, try splitting into groups and have a mini competition. No matter which way you decide to go, give your team a heads up and some time to do some planning prior to your retreat. This is also an activity that can be done just about anytime and anywhere…you don’t need to wait to plan a corporate getaway to have a good time with this one.

5. Theme Time!

The beauty of choosing a theme for an event during a retreat, or even just for an afternoon, is that the possibilities are endless! From a Halloween themed lunch in March, to a Crazy Hat Cocktail Hour, the hardest part of a theme is actually picking one. A quick Google search with bring up thousands of ideas.

 Here are a few themes we like:

• Roaring 20’s evening – considering we’re almost to 2020, this seems like the perfect time to start thinking about this one.
• Luau – Winter in Ontario is the perfect time to crank the heat and pretend you’re at a Hawaiian beach party.
• Outdoor BBQ – With a casual dress code and food off the grill, the actual party can be held indoors or out, depending on the season or weather.
• Bad Movie Night: Pick a couple of really terrible movies and encourage the group be film critics, especially during the worst of the scenes. This is one time it’s ok to talk through the movie, and the comments tend to be better than the flick itself.

Organizing a successful retreat requires planning. You’ll want to match up locations and activities that your group will truly enjoy. If you’re looking for a beautiful, rustic and peaceful location surrounded by nature, Sportsman’s Lodge may be a good fit for your group.

To inquire about hosting a retreat at Sportsman’s Lodge, contact us today!

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